“Larnaka 2030 is the laboratory that will take the various threads that exist to weave the fabric called the culture of Larnaka, which has something to offer to the whole country. It can achieve this regardless of whether it receives the title of European Capital of Culture or not, but we are going for the title,” Dr. Iosif Chatzikyriakos said in an interview with ‘Phileleftheros’ in May 2023.
A year later, his words rang true. The threads set in motion by Larnaka 2030 have already begun to create a valuable cultural tapestry that is growing and spreading beyond the city to the entire district.
With the support of the Municipality of Larnaka and local entrepreneurs, the organisation has, in a short time, managed to identify and activate the city’s most important asset – its people.
By involving the community in the largest cultural and social initiative Larnaka has ever seen, each Larnaka 2030 event draws more and more participants who become volunteers, supporting this grand endeavour. So far, as announced, just the number of participants in the organisation’s cultural activities for 2023 exceeded 10,000, with many thousands more in attendance.
The first step was transforming the new Zouhouri Square into a centre for cultural production and presenting outdoor performances in the city’s neighbourhoods, including the neglected areas of the Turkish Quarter and Agios Ioannis, as well as the refugee settlements. They then hosted unique festivals for Cyprus, such as the Larnaka BioDesign Festival, and offered the public the chance to watch performances rarely seen in our country, such as Cry by Lena Kitsopoulou.
Now, Larnaka 2030 is moving on to its next phase and presenting its most ambitious project to date: for a fortnight, the commercial centre will become the heart of Europe. In this original way, and to contribute to the revival of the wounded commercial centre, the organisation will present the main theme of Larnaka’s bid – ‘Common Ground’, a place where everyone belongs.
Stores on Ermou and Zenonos Streets will undergo artistic interventions, with each storefront hosting a different European Capital of Culture since the inception of the title. Meanwhile, from May 12-26, numerous performances and events will take place on the streets, and a vote will be held for residents to share their vision for the commercial centre, with the results to be presented to the Municipality. Over 150 people worked on this event, including the Shopkeepers’ Association, and the design aspect was undertaken by 15 graphic designers and architects from the city, all working voluntarily.
“It will be a process to reimagine the city, to provide creative solutions to the daily problems it faces, to envision and make Larnaka the heart of Europe,” said the ingenious artistic director of Larnaka 2030, Kelly Diapouli, announcing the first details of the event.
One thing is certain: whether the city receives the title or not, it has already won, and Larnaka 2030 is currently its most significant investment.
